The Beauty, Her Beast, and the Offspring
by PrincessRonanduil
Summary: Official sequal to "I Will Destroy You". Set years after the events of the first story, Ronan the Accuser and I have a son.
1. Chapter 1

Three years ago, I was abducted by one of the most feared beings in all the galaxy. I started out as his prisoner, but eventually, I became his princess. A princess of his people. _Our_ people.

I was once a young woman of Earth. A Terran, as they say. But now I lived on the planet Hala, home to an alien race known as the Kree. It was a magnificent, futuristic-looking city, and it was also a great empire, ruled under the dictatorship of my hubsand. Despite my title of being a princess, my husband was no king, let alone a prince, but he was proud of who he was. He was called the Accuser, for he believed in the ancient laws of his people, and destoryed those who dared to oppose. One might even say he ruled with an iron fist. Either way, I still loved him.

At the moment, I was standing out on the balcony, overlooking the city. There was an unusually warm breeze that night. I rested my arms on the edge and let out a deep sigh. I was feeling a little depressed, dreading what the morning would bring. For you see, my husband was leaving tomarrow, to go fight off in some war in another part of the galaxy.

I knew it was his job to protect and defend the Kree Empire, but I was against the idea of him being far away from me. I tried to talk him out of going, but he would not hear of it. I looked up to the stars, which were shining brightly, as usual. One of the best things about being on an alien planet in the galaxy was the beauty and wonder it beheld out there. Full of mystery, it was.

I turned my head to the left and decided to

walk back into the bedroom.

Since my marriage to the Accuser, I had moved out of my old bedroom and into his own bedchamber. The bed was huge, with sheets made from black satin, while the blankets were made from thick, black fur. Though what creature they came from, I do not know. I walked over to the bed and saw there was a dress lying at the end of it. It was a long, pale blue one with thin strapes and no sleeves. When the Accuser abducted me from Earth, he confiscated my clothes and gave me this beautiful frock to wear.

I began to take off my black leather boots and my black leather gloves. Then I took off my black belt and slipped out of my yellow full body suit. I picked up the dress and put it over my head. I adjusted it until it reached down to my ankles. Then I pulled my long brown hair out and let it fall to my elbows. Once I had the dress on, I became aware of the translucence of the fabric, but I didn't mind. I had gotten used to wearing this dress over the past three years.

I layed down on the bed and pulled the blanket up to my chest. I felt tired and I could tell my eyes were starting to get heavy, but I didn't want to fall asleep just yet. I wanted to stay awake long enough to see the Accuser one more time before he left. I layed there quietly for awhile, until sleep finally took hold of me.

An hour later, I woke up to the touch of someone's fingers caressing the left side of my face. I looked up and my brown eyes found themselves staring into a pair of purple ones. Those eyes belonged to that of a tall, dark, and somewhat handsome male with blue skin and no hair on his head. He gave me a warm smile and I smiled back at him. The Accuser never really liked to show his emotions and it was a rare chance to see him smile, but I knew he still cared about me.

"Hi", I whispered to him.

"Hello, my love", said Ronan, in a low voice. The way he spoke sounded deep and very intimidating. I raised myself up a bit and he leaned in towards me. I planted a kiss on his warm, soft lips. Ronan was more than happy to return the favor and kissed me back. The Accuser put his left hand behind my head and ran his fingers through my long brown hair.

I broke away from the kiss and stared up at him. My smile faded a bit.

"Am I dreaming this?" I asked him, sadly.

"No", said Ronan, softly. "

You are awake."

"What time is it?" I asked him.

"It's late", answered Ronan, as he positioned himself on top of me. "I was hoping to spend one last night with you before I leave."

I touched the right side of his face with my left index and middle finger. The Accuser tucked a strand of my hair behind my left ear with his right hand. I took hold of his hand and brought it to my lips, kissing his knuckles several times. I looked up at Ronan, his eyes glowing purple in the dark.

"I wish you wouldn't have to go", I whispered to him, sadly.

"You know I have to", said Ronan. "But d

o not be afraid." He leaned in towards me again and kissed my forehead. "I will always be with you", Ronan continued, as he gave me another kiss on my lips. I close my eyes as the Accuser placed his right arm behind my back. I put my right hand behind his head to bring him closer to me. I tilted my head back, moaning as he tried to force his tongue inside my mouth. His mouth was wet and warm. I broke away from his kiss and gasped for air. I felt completely breathless. He moved his right hand from behind my back and brought it to rub the outside of my left thigh. The Accuser brought his left hand up to take hold of my clothed right breast, pinching my nipple between his strong, but gentle fingers. I moaned in reply. I wasn't expecting this, but I let the Accuser continue to seduce me and savored every second of this precious moment. The hot night only intesified as Ronan pulled my dress over my head. I didn't know it then, but that night, when Ronan took my virginity, he gave me something back in return.


	2. Chapter 2

When I woke up the next morning, I found that I was lying on my stomach. I brushed the hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear. I quickly realized that I was naked underneath the sheets. I slowly sat up and the sheets fell off of me. My long brown hair covered my breasts. I looked to my right and saw the Accuser was standing out on the balcony, in the nude. I held the sheets around my naked body and slowly walked over to him. It was still dark outside, but I could tell it was morning.

Ronan noticed I was there without looking down at me and said, "Are you alright?"

I looked up at him and gave him a little smile. "Yes, thank you", I whispered to him. Ronan didn't respond or look at me.

"I had a dream about you last night", I said to him, trying to make it feel less awkward between us. I was lying, of course. What happened last night wasn't a dream at all. It was incredible and full of passion. The likes of which I've never experienced before. I didn't want it to end. Unfortunately, it did.

I turned my attention back to the scenery and watched as a red sun shone over the horizan. Ronan finally looked down at me and said, "You know I can't stay."

I sighed and turned to face him.

"Ronan-" I was cut off by the touch of his fingertips on my lips. His hand moved to my shoulder.

"I know it hurts you for us to be apart", said Ronan. "But while I am away, you belong here. You have to think about what is best for our people."

The Accuser was right. I wanted him to be with me, but I knew I couldn't be selfish. It was his duty to defend his people. And if that meant he had to fight, then he had to fight. While he was away, it was my job to take care of things here in Hala. The only problem was that I feared he would never returned. I knew Ronan was strong and brave, and had gone to war many times before I even met him, but I still couldn't help but fear for him.

"But I'd miss you too much", I whispered to him. I layed my head on his chest and he wrapped his muscular arms around me. After about a minute, Ronan let go of me and said, "I have to get ready".

With that, the Accuser walked out of the room, and went off to start his morning ritual, while I stood where I was in slience.

I eventually walked back into the room, picked up my pale blue, transparent dress from off the floor, and threw it over my head. Then I looked over at the nightstand, where there was a necklace lying on top of it. It was a beautiful silver chain with a silver pendant. It was a wedding gift, given to me by my husband three years ago after I agreed to marry him. I picked up the necklace and put it around my neck. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and touched the small pendant that hanged from the chain.

I heard a knock on the door and went to see who it was. I opened the door and saw there was no one there. Then I looked down and my eyes fell upon

a small creature. He looked very much like a duck, for he had white feathers, a small bill, and webbed feet. His eyes were big and blue. He was wearing a red shirt and yellow tie underneath his grey suit. And his name was Howard T. Duck.

Howard looked down and back up at me. It's obvious he was checking me out.

"Nice outfit", said Howard.

"Thanks", I said, stepping outside and closing the door behind me. I started walking down the hallway, with Howard by my left side.

"And hey, thanks for the room", said Howard.

"Well, it's the lease I can do", I said with a shrug. I was trying not to think about what was about to happen.

"You okay, kid?" Howard asked me.

"Mm-hm", I nodded.

"Then why the long face?" Howard asked.

I stopped where I stood and became silent. I didn't want to talk about it, but I guess there was no hiding my emotions from Howard. I sighed and kneeled down to his level.

"Listen, Howard...I-" I was about to speak to him, when we were suddenly approached by a Kree soldier. And not just any soldier, but the Accuser himself. He was dressed from head to foot in heavy-looking black armor with a headdress to match his attire. There was black warpaint around his eyes and on both sides of his face that ran all the way down to his under his chin and down his neck. The expression on his face was a mask of straight seriousness. His towering height made him all the more fearsome.

Howard screamed at the sight of the Accuser and hid behind me.

I, however, did not flinch. I slowly rose up as Ronan stopped right in front of me. This was it. Our final moment together until who knows when. I stared up at him, not knowing what to say. I closed my eyes and lowered my head down, avoiding his gaze. But Ronan lifted my head up, gently, and brought my eyes back to met his.

"You must be strong now", said Ronan. I said nothing, but hugged my arms around his waist, trying to hold back tears. The Accuser carefully wrapped his arms around me, trying to comfort me.

"Please be careful", I whispered to him. I let go of Ronan and looked up at him.

"I will return to you, my love", said Ronan, as his left hand touched a strand of my hair and brought it over my right shoulder.

"I will look to the stars for you every night", I said to Ronan.

He then looked over my left shoulder and noticed Howard, who was clinging onto my dress like some scared little kid. I looked down at Howard and touched a tuft of feathers on his head with my left hand. I looked back up at the Accuser and he looked at me with an annoyed expression. He had met Howard only once yesterday, when I brought him back from another planet, and I could tell that he was not as all amused with my new companion. But I gave the Accuser a look that said, _Leave him alone_.

Thankfully, we were approached by a dark-skinned man with electric blue eyes. He had metal implants on both sides of his bald head and he was dressed in some sort of metal gear. He was Korath the Pursuer, my husband's closest friend and ally. In one hand, he was holding a gigantic warhammer called a Universal Weapon, which was Ronan's weapon of choice.

"Master", said Korath. "We are ready."

Ronan turned to face him, as Korath handed him his warhammer. Ronan looked back at me and then down at Howard, who managed to peak out from his hiding place.

"I leave my wife in your hands", said Ronan.

Then the Accuser looked at me one more time. "Do not see me out", he said. I said nothing. The Accuser and the Pursuer walked passed me, and I didn't even bother to turn around and get one last look at Ronan. Instead, I just walked away.

I turned down the hallway and walked into a large room. I called it the throne room. There were two rows of columns, one on each side of the room. And at the very end of the room, there was a throne-like chair. I walked up to it, turned around, and sat down on the cold metal throne. It send a shiver throughout my body, but it quickly went away. I rested my hands in my lap and said nothing.

I leaned back and tilted my head up. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. Ronan was only gone for one minute, and already I missed him.

"So, who's the cyborg?" Said a male's voice.

I opened my eyes with a surprised gasp. I looked to my left and saw it was Howard. I almost forgot about him.

I tilted my head a bit in confusion. "What?" I asked him. I quickly realized Howard was referring to Korath. I shook my head, trying to pull myself back into reality. "No, he's not a cyborg, he's a Kree", I corrected him.

"A What?" Howard asked me.

"A humanoid extraterrestrial with blue skin", I explained to Howard. "Let's just leave it at that." I didn't feel like going too much into detail. I turned my head straight, crossed my arms, and leaned back.

"Okay, I can understand that", said Howard. "But what's a girl like you doing in space, anyway?"

"It's a long story", I said to him. "Besides, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

"Alien abduction?" Howard asked me.

I turned my head to the left and looked

at him with a raised eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"Wild guess", said Howard.

"Oh", I said.

"So, what do you call this place?" Howard asked me.

"Hala", I answered.

"Interesting", said Howard.

"Yeah", I said, blankly. "But what

I'd like to know is how you ended up with the Collector in the first place."

Weeks passed, and things were pretty lonely for me without Ronan. I still had Howard, of course, but he was nothing compared to the Accuser. To make matters worse, I started getting sick. I threw up at least twice a day. It faded away after a few weeks, but I didn't think much of it. As the weeks turned into months, I kept myself busy by practicing in the armory, reading in my room, and spending more time with Howard to get to know him a little better. Every night, before I went to bed, I would stare up at the stars from my balcony, searching for a sign to let me know my beloved was still alive, hoping he would be back soon.

One night, I woke up in the middle of the night to horrible back pain. So, I decided to take a hot soak. I removed my dress and sat down in the tub. I was lost in thought, wondering about the Accuser and where he might be. I couldn't get my mind off of him. I held my legs to my chest and buried my head into my knees, crying softly. I eventually calmed down after a minute. I cupped my hands into the hot steamy water and splashed it onto my face. I ran my fingers through my dry hair and submerged myself into the water. I quickly shot back up and gasped for air, wiping both the water and my hair out of my face. I leaned back trying to relax, resting my arms on the sides of the tub. I took a deep breath and rested my eyes for a bit, trying to take my off of things. I suddenly felt a slight pain in my left breast. I massaged it a bit, hoping it would help. Lately, I noticed my breasts were starting to feel sore. And as if that wasn't strange enough, my stomach had gotten bigger over the last few weeks. At first, I thought it was just depression, but I thought about it for a second and something clicked inside of me. My eyes widened with fear. I sat up and gasped. _But...that's impossible_, I thought to myself. I wasn't!...Was I?


	3. Chapter 3

"You're _what_?" Howard was in shock at what I had just told him.

I was sitting down on my bed. I slowly nodded my head, but kept my eyes narrowed. "I'm pregnant with Ronan's baby", I said in a low voice.

I had just gone to see one of the Kree healers and had him look over me. He told me I was exactly three months pregnant! At this very moment, there was an alien growing inside of me. As scary as it sounded, I didn't know how to feel or how to react.

"Okay, kid, let's be realistic", said Howard. "You're a female of the human type. He's a big blue alien freak. It's just not natural."

I turned my head to the left and looked at Howard. "What?"

"I'm just saying", said Howard. "if it's not too late-"

I suddenly felt a change in mood as I stood up and looked down at Howard with anger.

"What are you suggesting?" I demanded. "That I have an abortion? Never! I would never do anything to hurt a child! I don't care if the baby is born different. I'll raise it just like any other human baby!"

"Are you insane?" Howard asked me. "What about your husband? He told me to look after you. He said if anything happens to you, he'd have my neck."

"No", I told him, shaking my head. "You're just saying that because _you_", I pointed my finger at Howard, inches away from his bill, "don't have the balls to stand up to him like I do!" I grabbed Howard's tie and looked him straight in the eyes. "_And_ if you ever say anything like that again, I will see to it that you end up living back inside a glass cage!"

I let go of Howard and started to walk away.

Howard glared at me, though I didn't see it. As he straightened his tie, he said to me, "Well, hey! Don't come crying to me when your husband comes home and finds you with a baby on board. How do you know if he even wants it or not?"

I was about to reach for the door handle, when I stopped myself. What did Howard just say to me? I slowly let my hand fall to my side. I thought about my current situation and tried to think this through. What _would_ Ronan say if he found out about the baby? Would he even want it? Was he ready for this? Was _I_ ready?

I heard Howard walk up to me and he said, "Look, kid. It's not really my job to tell you what to do, but if you and this Ronan guy had been more prepared-"

I turned around and said calmly, "Howard, I just found out about this awhile ago. And in case you don't remember, my husband's in another part of the galaxy fighting in a war. I don't know how long he'll be gone, or when he's coming back, or if he'll ever come back."

I put my back to the wall and slid down to the floor. I let out a sigh and continued talking. "I don't even know how long I'm going to be carrying this baby", I said. "I mean, the gestation period for a human baby is at least nine months. But a Kree?...An alien?" At that moment, I started crying and put a hand to my face. I've been told countless times that weakness is a sin in the Kree Empire. And though I was trying to be strong, I couldn't help but let out my emotional distress. I was scared, not only for my life, but also for that of my unborn child. So many thought were going through my head. Could I carry an alien baby for several months? Would the baby and I survive if I chose to carry out this process? Would the baby be a human or a Kree?

"Listen, kid", said Howard, rubbing my arm, trying to comfort me. "I didn't mean it like that. It's not you're fault, alright? If you really want this baby, that's your decision."

I sniffled and wiped the tears from my eyes. "No, Howard", I said to him. "You're right. I don't know what Ronan's gonna say when he finds out, but..." I turned my head to the left and looked at Howard. More tears rolled down my face. "...I just don't want him to be angry at me. If he doesn't want the baby, I'll raise it on my own."

"Look", said Howard, wiping away my tears with his feathery thumb. "I doubt your husband will be mad at you. But if anything does happen, I'll be here to help you."

"You'd do that for me?...Why?"

"Because I feel sorry you", said Howard, poking my left shoulder. "Besides, every duck's got their limits. Am I right?"

I couldn't tell if Howard was being serious or trying to get me to laugh, but I turned away from him, took a deep breath, and said, "Maybe in your world, but...I don't know, Howard."

"Does he love you?", Howard asked me.

"Yes", I said.

"Then there's nothing to worry about", said Howard.

"But I still don't know if he's ever coming back", I said.

"He'll be back", Howard reassured me, though I doubted he meant it.

"You really think he'll come back, Howard?" I asked him.

"What can I say, kid?" Howard said to me. "Love's strange."

I looked at Howard and gave him a little smile. Then I laughed a bit at his comment.

That's the one thing I like about him. He was cynical, at times, but I knew he still cared.

"Well", I said, standing up.

"I hope you're right, Howard."

As the weeks turned into months, I thought about Ronan and where he might be. Wondering if he was alright and if he was still alive. I knew he was a strong man, but I couldn't help but still worry for the Accuser. Many times, when I was feeling lonely, I would walk out into the garden just to see a pair of red flowers. I took this as a symbol. A symbol of my love for Ronan. As long as those two flowers were together, I knew that Ronan was still alive and that he would return home safely to me. The funny thing was that the Kree were scientifically and technologically advanded. They almost had no use for plants. Nothing ever growed here on this planet, at least not to my knowledge. To me, this was probably the only green pasture in Hala. But I loved it, nevertheless. It was a beautiful and peaceful place where I could go to clear my head and rid my heart of any sorrows that troubled me.

As I neared the ninth month of my pregancy, Howard started asking me about baby names.

"You don't even know if it's even a boy or a girl", said Howard. "How will you know when the time comes?"

"I wouldn't worry about that", I reassured him. "Besides, I've had my baby's name picked out a long time ago."

"Well", said Howard. "If you had to guess, which one do you think it is: a boy or a girl?"

I thought about it for a minute. I had always wanted a baby boy, and I highly doubted Ronan would want a daughter, so I said, "A boy".

"And what would you name him?" Howard asked me.

"Jason", I said right away without thinking. "I don't know why, but I've always liked that name. Jason."

"Ja-son? Huh, weird name", said Howard.

I put my hands on my hips and gave Howard an annoyed look. "What's wrong with the name I picked out?" I asked.

"Hey, it's your chick, not mine", said Howard.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to a chair. I sat down and said, "You know what, Howard? These last fews months have been pretty interesting."

"Yeah, I gotta admit", said Howard. "For a woman who's about to give birth to an alien, you seem to be taking this pretty well."

"I'm not giving up on this, Howard", I told him. "I've made a commitment to myself that I would be there for the baby, no matter what. My own mother would do the same for me."

"You're not like most girls, are you?" Howard asked me.

I looked at Howard and smiled a bit. "I guess not", I said to him.

I suddenly felt kick. I looked down and placed my left hand on my round stomach. "He's moving", I said, softly. The baby was due any day now, and this was the first time I felt any movement. It really was a beautiful moment to know that the baby was alive and kicking. I just wished the baby's father could have been here to witness it. I sighed, sadly.

Howard looked up at me and said, "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired", I said.

I stood up and looked down at Howard.

"Look", I said to him. "It's getting late. So, um...I'm just gonna turn in for the rest of the night."

"Are you sure?" Howard asked me.

"Yes", I reassured him. "I'll see you tomarrow."

"Alright, if that's what you really-"

"Yes. Good night, Mr. Duck", I said to Howard, walking pass him.

"It's Howard!" Said the annoyed duck.

I threw my hands up in the air and let them fall to my sides. "Whatever", I said over my shoulder.

With that said, I walked away and headed to my room.

The truth was, I wasn't really tired at all. I just wanted to be alone. I walked into my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I leaned my back against the door, closed my eyes, and let out a deep sigh. I walked across the room and over to the balcony. I rested my arms on the edge and looked down at the city. I looked up at the stars, shining brightly as ever. An endless sea of sparkles against a dark and inky black sky. I felt another kick from the baby and looked down. I placed my right hand over my stomach. I took one last look at the stars and whispered to myself, "I miss you, Ronan".

And with that, I walked back into my room and decided I'd had enough for tonight.

I walked over to the bed and was about to pull the blankets back, but then I felt another kick, only this time it was more forceful. I gasped and placed my right arm around my stomach. It felt like more than just kicking. _What's going on?_ I thought to myself.

I placed my left arm around my stomach and started breathing heavily. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my lower abdoman. I gasped and fell onto the floor. I layed on my left side as the pain intensified. It felt like a cramp, only ten times worse. I put one hand on my lower back and managed to sit myself up. I felt something warm and wet between my legs, so I touched my hand down there, and when I pulled my hand back, it was stained with blood! My eyes grew wide with shock. _No_, I thought to myself. _Not now!_ _I'm not ready for this!_ But there was nothing I could do to stop it. The baby was coming!

I knew what I had to do, so I tried focusing on my breathing, even though it hurt. The pain was too much for me to handle, but I knew I had to push the baby out before it was too late. I was moaning and screaming the whole time, and I couldn't catch my breath. I felt tears running down my face as I continued pushing. I was scared. I was all alone and there was no one around to help me. My biggest fear was that the baby wouldn't make it, and that it would be all my fault.

It must have lasted for about five or ten minutes, but it felt like a lot longer to me. Pretty soon, my body became numb and I fell into blackness. The last thing I heard was the sound of a wailing newborn.


	4. Chapter 4

When I woke up a couple of hours later, I couldn't remember anything. Everything seemed so vague. I slowly realized that I was lying in a soft bed. And although I was warm underneath the blankets, I still felt terribly cold. I felt like all the energy had been drained out of me and there was a sharp pain between my legs. The room was dark and quiet and there was nobody around. Or so I thought.

Slowly, I turned my head to the right, and saw the Accuser sitting next to me on the bed. I slowly sat up and stared into his beautiful purple eyes. They were the same ones I had missed looking into for months on end. I reached out my hand and gently stroked the left side of his face to see if he was really there. And he was! I started to get tears in my eyes and I felt my body trembling. I threw my arms around him and sobbed into his chest. Now that I finally had him back, I wasn't going to let him go. The Accuser carefully placed his arms around me in a warm embrace.

"I missed you so much", I whispered to him, as tears ran down my face.

"I know", said Ronan, softly. "It's going to be alright now."

"But I felt so alone", I sniffled.

"Hush", Ronan whispered, as he rubbed my back, trying to comfort me. "You're not alone."

Ronan kept his right arm around my left shoulder and picked up a goblet that was sitting on the nightstand beside the bed with his left hand.

He brought the goblet to my lips and said, "Drink this. It will give you back your strength." The goblet was filled with some sort of lavender-colored liquid. With his help, I managed to take a few small sips. It tasted bitter and felt ice cold as it went down my throat, but at least it helped to ease the pain.

"There", said Ronan, setting the goblet aside. Then he carefully lowered me back down onto the bed. Our eyes fixed on each other. "Now rest easy", he said, stroking the top of my hair. I placed my right hand on his left wrist.

"Are you...going to leave me again?" I asked him in a whispered voice.

"No", said Ronan, softly. "I'm going to look after you." The Accuser brought a hand to my forehead and ran it lightly down my face. I closed my eyes and feel back into a peaceful sleep.

When I woke up the next time, I felt like I had awakened from a dream. I remembered seeing Ronan when I woke up the last time. But when I woke up _this time_, I saw not the Accuser, but Howard the Duck instead. My heart sank. _It was just a dream_, I thought to myself.

"Hey, kid. How you doing?" Howard asked me, caressing my face with the back of his hand.

I moved my hair out of my face and said in a low voice, "I'm okay...What happened?"

"You fell unconscious", said a deep voice. I recognized it and lifted my head up. Ronan was sitting across the room from me. I felt relieved, knowing now that it wasn't a dream at all. My husband had return home! He stood up and Howard said to me, "I'll give you two some time alone." I said nothing, but kept my eyes fixed on the Accuser. Howard left the room and Ronan approached me. I held my right hand out, hoping he would take. Ronan took hold of my hand, gently, and sat down on the bed. There was a silence between us before I finally spoke to him.

"Have you been watching me sleep?" I asked in a low voice.

"I have", said Ronan.

"How long was I out for?" I asked him, softly.

"Almost two days", said Ronan. "You suffered from massive blood loss."

I blinked a bit. _Blood loss_? I thought to myself. I sat up slowly and looked down. There was blood on my dress and my stomach was flat. My eyes grew wide and I suddenly remembered! I looked up at the Accuser.

"Ronan, the baby-"

"Don't", said Ronan, placing his right arm around my shoulder. "You mustn't over excite yourself."

A million thoughts were going through my head. _Where was the baby? Did it survive? _I felt tears beginning to fill my eyes. _I've failed_, I thought to myself. _This is all my fault_.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you", I whispered to Ronan. "I mean, I wanted to, but-"

"I know", said Ronan, calmly.

I lowered my head down as tears started to fall from my eyes, my long brown hair covered my face. Ronan lifting my head up, gently, and brought my gaze back to meet his.

"You are not weak, Crystal", said Ronan, wiping the tears away from my eyes. The Accuser continued to speak to me. "You did nothing wrong. The only thing that matters is both you and the child are alive."

"Is the baby okay?" I asked.

Ronan moved my hair out of my face and said, "He's perfectly healthy."

My eyes widened a bit. "He?" I asked, curiously.

At that moment, a Kree woman appeared in the doorway. She was carrying something in her arms that was wrapped in a blanket. She approached me and placed the little bundle in my arms. Then she turned and left. I looked at Ronan and he nodded his head, as if to say, _It's alright_. I looked back at the bundle in my arms and carefully pulled back the blanket, only to reveal a small head that belonged to a sleeping baby. At first, I was afraid, because when I saw it for the first time, the baby had blue skin! I had never seen a blue baby before. On Earth, that was usually a bad sign. But on Hala, it was normal, for the Kree had blue skin. Therefore, that meant the baby was alright.

I touched the baby's soft check with my index finger and gently stroked his face. Slowly, the baby started to open his eyes. I gasped at the sight of them. He had my eyes! Big, beautiful brown ones. He looked so much like his father, yet there was a part of me that lived inside of him. The baby smiled up at me and made a soft noise. I smiled and laughed a bit, as tears began to fall from my eyes. He knew I was his mommy! Here he was. My own flesh and blood. My first born baby. My son.

It took me awhile before I remembered Ronan was watching me.

"What should we call him?" Ronan asked me.

I looked up at Ronan and then back at the baby. There was only one name I could think of.

"Jason...My little Jason."


	5. Chapter 5

**Five years later**

"It's strange, I should think. Ronan the Accuser could have picked anyone to continue his bloodline, and yet, out of all the female creatures in this universe, he chose...you."

"Look", I said to Zora, the Kree woman I was speaking to. "I don't care what you have to say about me. Now are you going to help me or not?"

"It's out of the question. I won't allow it!" Said Zora. I was trying to get my son enrolled into a schooling academy so he could have a proper education, but she wasn't hearing any of it.

"Your son may be a Kree, but he is also part Terran", Zora continued. "A half Terran/helf Kree child is bound to be incapable of the rules and regulations we have here. You may not like what I have to say about this, but with all do respect, my dear, your hybrid of a son-"

My eyes widened at those last few words. I mean, a hybrid? Really? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

This woman was making comments about my son for not being a purebred Kree. It didn't matter to me if Jason wasn't a purebred Kree or not. He was still my son, and would not tolerate that kind of talk about my own child.

"That's not fair!" I protested.

"Listen, I know how you feel. But I cannot and _will not_ allow your son to join this academy. You know as well as I do that weakness is a sin to the Kree Empire-"

"He's not weak!" I yelled.

"Maybe to you he isn't, but I still have my doubts", said Zora. "My own daughter would make a better Kree warrior than him."

That was the final straw. I wanted to say something and shout in her face, but I knew that wouldn't get my anywhere. Instead, I rose up from my seat, and gave her a good warning, using the only defense method I had against her: my husband.

"You're lucky I decided to come here alone", I said to her, trying to sound calm. Then I asked her, "If my husband were here, would you have said the same thing to him?"

"Of course not! Your husband is the third most powerful being in the Kree Empire. And that's another thing: You may his wife, and you may be a princess to my people, but to me, you're just a Terran. Therefore, you have no power or authority over the Kree Empire."

"_Oh?_ And what does that make you? Queen of Morag?" I asked her, sarcasticly.

Zora frowned at me in anger. She put her hands on her desk, stood up, and said to me, "I suggest you get out of here."

With that said, I walked out of the room without saying another word, and walked out of the building. I stood outside for a minute in slience. I might have looked calm on the outside, but on the inside, I was furious. I turned around and slammed my hand against the steal door in frustration.

As I walked through the streets of the city, I kept my head down, avoiding eye contect with any Kree that walked passed by me.

When word broke out that Ronan and I had a child five years ago, my reputation had soured with some of the Kree citizens. Because I was a Terran, half of them thought I was weak, and that the son of the Accuser would turn out to be the same. To protect his family, Ronan demanded that our son be hidden from sight. I was upset at first, because I thought Ronan was ashamed of him. I never told him how I felt about that, so I kept my thoughts to myself. I dedicated most of my time to being a mother to Jason, but I never forgot about my responsiblities as Princess of the Kree, no matter how stressful it was. Things went back to normal after a few years, but it still hurt me to know that my son was being ridiculed, just because he was "abnormal", so to speak.

I had seen the ways of these people for the past several years. The Kree were brute, savage, and arrogant. Ronan once told me his goverment did not know shame. But I was not like them. I was human, of course, but I still knew what was right and wrong. And this was not right that an innocent child, especially my son, should have to go through all this. Jason wasn't even like them at all. He was such a sweet boy. And he would never harm anyone.

I turned to my left and walked down a dark alley. A couple of space rats scattered as I approached them, but I paid no attention to them. I was distracted by a green bottle that was lying on the ground. I picked it up and looked at it. I could tell it was some sort of alcohol. I threw the bottle against the wall and it shattered into a dozen pieces. _Good riddence!_ I thought to myself.

I was about to continue my walk back home, when I was suddenly confronted by two Kree men. Both of them were tall, which was normal for a Kree. One of them had long black hair and a sunken face. And the other one was bald and sort of mean-looking.

"Just the person we're looking for", said the black haired Kree.

"Not now!" I said. I tried walking away from them, but unfortunately, each of them grabbed me by my arms and held me back.

"You listen to us when were talking to you, Princess!" Said the bald Kree.

"Let me go!" I demanded. I struggled to get free from their tight grip on me, but they were too strong.

"Hey!" Said a voice. I recognized it right away. I turned my head to the left and saw Howard had appeared of nowhere. "Let her go, or I'll give you scum bags a taste of Quack Fu."

Both men looked at each other, rather annoyed, by the looks of it. The black haired Kree let go of me, while his bald-headed friend held me back by placing his arm around my neck. I tried prying it away with both my hands, even though it was no use. The black haired Kree went up to Howard, who tried to take a hit at him, but the Kree male blocked his attack and grabbed Howard by his ankle. The Kree man lifted Howard up into the air, holding him upside down.

"Help!" Cried Howard. "Get me down!"

"Enough", said a stern voice. I turned my head to the right and saw that it was a Kree woman who spoke. Her skin was a beautiful shade of blue, like the color of water. She was slender with short black hair and dark brown eyes. Her name was Latia. She approached the black haired Kree and shouted something to him in the ancient Kree language. I didn't understand it. The blacked haired Kree glared at her in disgust. He let go of Howard, dropping him on his head. The Kree man turned to his friend and yelled something in the Kree language. He must have told him to let me go, because the bald-headed Kree released me and threw me on the ground. The two Kree men walked away without saying another word.

Latia approached me, kneeled down, and said, "My lady, are you hurt?"

Latia offered me her hand and I gladly accepted it. She helped me to me feet. "No, I'm alright", I answered her.

I heard a moan from Howard and ran over to him.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, concerned.

Howard stood up and put his hands on his hips. "Do I _look_ okay to you?"

As I helped wipe the dirt from Howard's grey suit, Latia asked me, "My mother would not listen to you?"

I stopped what I was doing and slowly stood up. "No, she didn't", I said to her.

"Do not worry", said Latia, putting a hand on my shoulder. "My mother never approved of me either."

I turned my head to the left and looked at her with sympathy. Latia was the youngest of a family of four. When she was born, her mother didn't even want her, but her father convinced her otherwise. Her father died when she was only a child, leaving her mother to raise her and her older brother children. Latia mentioned to me that she had an older brother, but he lived on another planet. For the past several years, Latia had been working for me and Ronan as a servant girl. She had no training in combat or any other fighting skills. But nevertheless, I appreciated her for who she was. Latia wasn't like the other Kree. In a way, she was kind and caring.

"Come on, Howard", I said. We walked back home without any more trouble. I told Howard to walk ahead of me and Latia, so I could tell her what happened.

"She said I have no authority over anyone", I explained to Latia. "Just because I'm Ronan's wife, that doesn't mean anything to her."

"Did she anything to you about him?" Latia asked me.

"She said, '_You're husband is the third most powerful being in the Kree Empire'_. Ha! Try telling that to Thanos."

At that moment, Latia blocked me with her arm. I turned to face her.

"Do not speak about the Mad Titan", said Latia, sternly. She leaned in towards my face a bit. "You know how your husband feels about him."

I took a step back. "Ronan's not even here", I reminded her. "Besides, what does it matter to you?"

Latia was silent for a mintue. Then she said, "He frightens me".

I blinked at her, not sure what she meant. "Who does?" I asked her. "Thanos or Ronan?"

Latia didn't respond, but I could tell by looking into her eyes that I knew what the answer was.

I lowered my head a bit. "Oh", I said, sadly. Which was true. Ronan was a little frightening at times, but he never showed me any real harm. At least none that I could recall.

When Howard, Latia, and I finally got back home, I went to my bedchamber, slamming the doors behind me. I walked over to my bed and let myself fall down onto my back. I closed my eyes and lied there for a few minutes, feeling angry and hurt by Zora's words from earlier. I let out a deep sigh of annoyence.

I suddenly felt the bed move, as if someone jumped onto the bed. I opened my eyes and turned my head to the left. There, laying next to me was a 5 year old boy with blue skin, beautiful brown eyes, and a bald head. He looked so much like his father, but he was just like me in every way possible. He might of had his father's looks, but he got his personality from me. Not to mention that he had my eyes.

I smiled at him and said in a soft voice, "Hi, baby."

"Hi", said the boy, who was obviously my son. "Are you okay, mommy?"

I ran my right hand through the top of my hair and said, "Yeah. Mommy's just tired."

Jason handed me a piece of paper and said, "I made this for you."

I looked at it and saw it was a cute, but messy drawing of a blue man in a black and a human girl in a blue dress. It was obviously a picture of me and Ronan.

I smiled and said to Jason, "It's beautiful."

I set the drawing aside and sat up. "Come here", I said to Jason, holding my arms out to him.

Jason sat up and hugged his arms around me, while I gave him a hug back in return. _Who cares what the others say_, I said in my head. Jason was my son, and that's all I could have asked for. He was my angel. And no one could take him away from me.

"I love you, Mommy", Jason whispered into my ear.

I smiled against his cheek. "I love you, too, baby", I whispered. I gave Jason a kiss on the top of his head and held him in my arms for awhile.

Our mother and son moment was interrupted when we heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Howard."

I stood up and went to the door, with Jason following behind me. I opened the door, and sure enough, it was Howard.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Your husband wants to talk to you."


	6. Chapter 6

As Jason and I followed Howard, I felt like I had done something wrong. I'm sure Ronan just wanted to see me, but I still had this terrible feeling inside. We entered into the throne chamber, where I saw Ronan was speaking with Korath and Latia. The Accuser was sitting on his throne with his head hung low and his giant warhammer resting on his lap. Usually, that meant he wished to speak to me about some sort of serious business. I took hold of Jason's hand and we both walked up to him. Ronan looked up at me, his eyes glowing purple in the dark.

"What do you want?" Ronan asked me.

"I...You summond me here", I answered him.

Ronan and Korath looked at each other.

"I take my leave", said Korath, before he dismissed himself. Latia remained standing next to Ronan.

As Korath walked by me, he glanced at me. Sort of menacingly, by the looks of it. Granted, there was no dispute between me and him, but then again, Korath rarely showed any signs of emotion. He was much more strict and serious than Ronan. There were times I wished he would find a woman who could help him learn to lighten up a bit.

After Korath left, Ronan set his warhammer down and stood up. Jason ran up to his father and hugged him around his middle. Ronan didn't react much, but he did smile and place a gentle hand on his son's head. I smiled a bit at the father and son moment between my two boys. Ronan's personality certainly had changed a bit after he became a father. He was still the same old Accuser of the Kree whenever he was around other soldiers or training new recruits, but whenever he was around Jason, all the hatred seemed to disappear from his eyes, and he would always turn so warm and gentle. I heard it said that Ronan had killed thousands of innocent lives in the past, including those of children. But I knew he would make sure with all his power that no harm would come to his own son.

Jason let go of his father and Ronan walked over to me. His expression changed back into the same emotionless mask he always wore, but I paid no attention to it. I put my hands on both sides of my husband's face and said to him, "Hi". I then planted a kiss on his warm, soft lips.

I broke away from the kiss and Ronan said to me, "Latia has just informed me about your ordeal this evening."

My smile faded at his respone. "What?"

"I do not want you wondering the city alone anymore", said Ronan. "From now on, you will not leave anywhere with an escort", said Ronan.

I turned my head to the right and looked at Latia. I didn't know she was going to tell Ronan about what happened between me and those those two thugs back in the alley. It made me look weak in front of my husband and it was bad enough that I had to put up with what Latia's mother had to say to me about my son. My hands balled up into fists at my sides and I bit the inside of my right cheek to prevent myself from saying anything I would regret later. I didn't want to be angry at Latia, but I was.

"Listen, Ro", said Howard. I completely forgot he was in the room at all. "I think your wife would rather-"

"Do not speak for her", said Ronan, in a low, yet threatening voice. He did not like that Howard just abbreviated his name.

"Ronan!" I yelled, raising my voice at the Accuser. I looked over at the servant girl and said, "Latia, take Jason out of here".

Latia did as I commanded her and lead Jason out of the throne chamber. Jason didn't argue, which was a good thing. He never threw a fit and he always did as I told him, but if Ronan and I were going to fight, I didn't want Jason to see it.

I turned my attention to Howard and kneeled down to his level. "Could you give us a minute, please?" I asked him in a polite voice, trying to be patient.

"Fine", said Howard. "I now when I'm not wanted around here." And with that, Howard walked out of the room. I was now alone with the Accuser.

I stood up and turned to face Ronan. "Why do you do that? All he ever does is try to help and you just shoot him down like that."

"I did not ask for his input", said Ronan.

"It doesn't matter if you didn't ask for his input", I yelled at him. "He has a right to speak his mind, Ronan!"

I put my right hand on my hip and and my left hand to my face. I took a deep breath, trying to keep calm and not loose my cool. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked up at Ronan. "Walk with me", I said to him.

I walked out of the throne chamber, with Ronan following behind me, and we both entered out into the garden. I need some fresh air and the garden was the only place where I could think clearly and get a sense of tranquility. I stopped in front of a pair of red flowers that were growing beside each other. I held my arms together and had my back to Ronan.

"What troubles you?" Ronan asked me.

I wasn't exactly sure how to say what was on my mind. I was feeling angry about a lot of things, but I was mostly angry about what Zora had said to me earlier about Jason. I wanted to tell Ronan, but I didn't know how, or even if I should or not. I sighed and said the first thing that came to my mind.

"Are you ashamed of me?" I murmured.

"Why do you say this?" Ronan asked me.

"Look...you don't know what these people have been saying to me over the past few years. I know they're your people and you have respect for them, but they treat me like dirt and they think your son is not one of them...I don't care what they say about me...But it hurts me when they say those things about my son...One day, Jason's gonna hear someone say something to him that isn't nice and he'll ask me why. I mean, what am I suppose to tell him?"

I felt hot tears beginning to fill my eyes and my body started to tremble.

"Jason won't be young and innocent forever, Ronan", I said to him. "I know he's only a boy, but he shouldn't have to put up with..."

At that point, I put my left hand to my face and started crying. I hated being like this in front of Ronan, but there was nothing I could do to hide my emotional distress. I had kept these thoughts bottled up inside me for so long, I just had to let them out. Ronan took a step towards me and placed his left arm around my waist, pulling me to his hard, armored chest.

"I do not know what my people have spoken to you, but you must not let it dishearten you", said Ronan, his deep voice sounded warm and comforting. "You belong to me. Therefore, you will obey _only_ me. You are right about Jason. He won't be young and innocent forever, but if you think you're the only one who worries about him, then you're wrong."

I sniffled and moved my left hand to Ronan's left wrist. "I just want him to be strong", I said, tearfully.

"Hush", Ronan whispered to me. He knew not the pain I was going through, but he could tell it was there. I took a couple of deep breaths to help calm myself down as Ronan continued to talk to me. "He is strong. But you are my wife. Therefore, I worry about you just as much."

I turned around and looked up at Ronan. "But that's what I mean", I tried to explain to him. "You could have chosen any woman in the galaxy, and instead you chose me. Why?"

"You were unhappy with your life on Terra", said Ronan, as he reached out his right hand to touch my hair, bringing a strand of it over my left shoulder. "I could see it in your eyes." Ronan placed his left hand on my left shoulder and started to circle me. I kept my brown eyes on his purple ones as he looked down at me. He continued speaking. "When I abducted you, you were scared. You were weak and vulnerable." Ronan moved behind me and I turned my head to the right, trying to keep my gaze locked onto him, still listening to what he said. "But I have made you stronger. I have transformed you into the woman you have become." Ronan lightly touched my right shoulder and moved back in front of me. "But more importantly", said Ronan, placing his left hand on my face, wiping away my tears with the pad of his thumb. "You have been a faithful wife and a loving mother. You have given me a son. I could not have asked any better of you."

Ronan leaned in towards me and I closed my eyes as he brought his lips to mine. I could feel blackness all around me, and yet I could still see the stars. There was something magical about the way Ronan kissed me that always made me feel better instantly. I felt neither sadness nor despair, for everything seemed to fade from my mind. Just a tender, loving kiss.

I moaned softly and Ronan broke the kiss so I could breathe again.

"Besides, you can't have another baby", said the Accuser.

I looked up at Ronan with curious eyes. _What did he just say?_

"It nearly killed you the last time", said Ronan.

I didn't see what that had to do with anything, but I knew Ronan had a point. After Jason was born, I was told I could never have another child. I was able to carry an alien baby to full term, but my fragile human body couldn't handle the pressures of giving birth to one. I don't even remember giving birth to Jason. All I remembered was the pain and then everything turning dark.

"It is not your fault", said Ronan, placing his right hand behind my head, tangling his long fingers into my hair. "But you have to understand that I cannot risk loosing either one of you. You or our son. I only do this, because I care about you."

Ronan turned away and walked over to a nearby balcony. I followed and stood next to him.

"You are not a bad mother, Crystal", said Ronan. "But I ask that you be strong for Jason's sake."

As I stood by the Accuser in silence, I thought about something that had been eating away at the back of my mind for quite some time now.

"Ronan?" I said, putting my hands on my hips. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

I looked up at him and felt the urge to ask him. "What was your mother like?"

The Accuser said nothing and remained silent. He did not look at me, but I could tell he did not wish to talk about it. My arms dropped to my sides and I suddenly regretted I even asked him such a question.

"I didn't mean to pry-"

"I have little to no memory of my mother", said Ronan, finally. I felt a bit relieved. I stopped talking and listened to what he had to say. "She...died when I was just about Jason's age."

"Oh, Ronan, I'm so sorry-"

"Silence!" Ronan yelled at me.

I flinched at his sudden change in tone and took a step back. Ronan the Accuser was obviously not one for sympathy. He always talked to me about his father, grandfather, and great grandfather, but he never mentioned to me anything about his own mother. Family was very important to Ronan, but he had lost so much in the past, that I guessed even the thought of it was still too painful for him to bring up.

"Forgive me, my love", said Ronan, more calmly that time. He still didn't look at me. "I'm not terribly good with feelings and emotions."

I took a deep breath through my nose and shook my head. "It's okay", I said to him.

At that point, I turned around and was about to walk away, but I was stopped when I felt a hand grab my right wrist with a firm, but gentle grip. I closed my eyes and said in my head, _Please don't hurt me_. Ronan's hand slowly moved from my wrist all the way up to my arm. I forced myself to turned around to look up at Ronan, as he moved his hand around my neck, carefully, and pulled me in for a kiss. The damage had already been done, but I was willing enough to forgive him.

"There is not much I can tell you about her, Crystal", said Ronan, moving his hand down my neck to touch the pendant that hunged from the silver chain. "But this necklace I bestowed upon you...It belonged to her."

I looked up at Ronan with wonder as he stared into my brown eyes with those intimidating purple eyes of his. The light seemed to dim from them. There was love, but there was also sadness. I was surprised that Ronan had entrusted me with an heirloom of his family. Something that had belonged to his late matriarch, too. I kept my eyes locked onto his as I placed my left hand over his right hand in a loving manner. I tried saying something to him, but I was stopped by the touch of his fingers on my lips.

"You do not have to say anything", Ronan whispered. He then leaned in and kissed the top of my head.

"Go", said the Accuser. "Our son needs you."

I said nothing, but lowered my head and kissed my husband's hand in response. I slowly released my hand from his, turned around, and walked back inside. Ronan was right. I couldn't let myself down now. Jason needed his mother. I had to be strong for his sake. Who cares what everybody else said? I had the love and support of my husband. I had a wonderful son. And that was all that mattered. As long as my family was happy, so was I. From that moment on, I had a new respect for Ronan.


End file.
